Parcells caused a bit of a stir during his news conference after minicamp Monday with potentially offensive remarks. He called surprise plays used in practice "Jap plays," referring to Japan's 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
Parcells later released a statement, apologizing for his comments.
"Today during my news conference I made a very inappropriate reference, and although I prefaced it with the remark, 'no disrespect to anyone intended,' it was still uncalled for and inconsiderate. For that I apologize to anyone who may have been offended," he said.
Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said the "organization apologizes to anyone who may have been offended."
Akira Kuboshima, editor of American Football Magazine in Japan, said he wasn't offended, though he knows many Japanese will be.
"There is a lot of chance for someone to feel offended," Kuboshima said. "To me, it was no big deal."
Parcells spoke to Kuboshima, offering what the reporter perceived to be an apology. Kuboshima said he was surprised more by the reaction of other reporters than the comment.
That comment was only part of Parcells' 45-minute session with reporters, in which he also talked about the team's quarterback competition, players at several positions and some of the new additions.
AP NEWS
Parcells later released a statement, apologizing for his comments.
"Today during my news conference I made a very inappropriate reference, and although I prefaced it with the remark, 'no disrespect to anyone intended,' it was still uncalled for and inconsiderate. For that I apologize to anyone who may have been offended," he said.
Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said the "organization apologizes to anyone who may have been offended."
Akira Kuboshima, editor of American Football Magazine in Japan, said he wasn't offended, though he knows many Japanese will be.
"There is a lot of chance for someone to feel offended," Kuboshima said. "To me, it was no big deal."
Parcells spoke to Kuboshima, offering what the reporter perceived to be an apology. Kuboshima said he was surprised more by the reaction of other reporters than the comment.
That comment was only part of Parcells' 45-minute session with reporters, in which he also talked about the team's quarterback competition, players at several positions and some of the new additions.
AP NEWS
how the hell is "jap" a racial slur? this is stupid. the media are attention whores who sensationalize everything and anything in order to make "news", especially when things are slow.
personally I use the term " sneaky little bastards" but I'm not really in a forgiving mood for the attack on pearl harbor or the treatment allied pow's received at their hands.
personally I use the term " sneaky little bastards" but I'm not really in a forgiving mood for the attack on pearl harbor or the treatment allied pow's received at their hands.
Japanese people are indeed a distinct race of people.
Ignorant folks categorize all people born in Eastern or Southeast Asia as 'Oriental'. In fact, there are dozens of races of people from that part of the globe, each distinct and very independent from others in the area. "Cross-breeding" per se in that part of the world was until recent years, just as unusual as inter-racial marriage in the U.S. was until the past half century. Thus each race of Asian people remained fairly 'pure'.
In the end, "JAPS" was absolutely a degrading and racist term directed at the Japanese by most Americans for most of the 20th century.
But like most people who we don't exchange warfare with, there's been a lot more respect from the U.S. towards Japanese during the past few decades, so Parcells is more guilty of showing his age than of insulting anyone of Japanese heritage.
"The Orient" is actually a description of the geographic area moreso than any type of person, though the descriptive form of the word persisted for a couple hundred years.
Ignorant folks categorize all people born in Eastern or Southeast Asia as 'Oriental'. In fact, there are dozens of races of people from that part of the globe, each distinct and very independent from others in the area. "Cross-breeding" per se in that part of the world was until recent years, just as unusual as inter-racial marriage in the U.S. was until the past half century. Thus each race of Asian people remained fairly 'pure'.
In the end, "JAPS" was absolutely a degrading and racist term directed at the Japanese by most Americans for most of the 20th century.
But like most people who we don't exchange warfare with, there's been a lot more respect from the U.S. towards Japanese during the past few decades, so Parcells is more guilty of showing his age than of insulting anyone of Japanese heritage.
"The Orient" is actually a description of the geographic area moreso than any type of person, though the descriptive form of the word persisted for a couple hundred years.
I agree with Tanaka.
My response was not to further accuse Parcells's use of the word Jap, but to correct the earlier post which stated that "Japanese is not a race".
Though within the context that Parcells supposedly used it, Japs=Surprise Attack=Pearl Harbor, we are referencing the use of the word during the 1940s and several decades after. And YES, during that time and perhaps to a few overly sensitive types in 2004, it was most definitely a racial blast.
As was Gook for Vietnamese during the 1960s and later...and no, not "Pole", but "Polack" would have been viewed as a racial slur for most of the 20th century.
Since they played a major part in helping to free the former Eastern Bloc countries from Soviet domination, there's less derision aimed at Poles by most Americans, thus "Polack" is more antiquated nowadays, anyway.
My response was not to further accuse Parcells's use of the word Jap, but to correct the earlier post which stated that "Japanese is not a race".
Though within the context that Parcells supposedly used it, Japs=Surprise Attack=Pearl Harbor, we are referencing the use of the word during the 1940s and several decades after. And YES, during that time and perhaps to a few overly sensitive types in 2004, it was most definitely a racial blast.
As was Gook for Vietnamese during the 1960s and later...and no, not "Pole", but "Polack" would have been viewed as a racial slur for most of the 20th century.
Since they played a major part in helping to free the former Eastern Bloc countries from Soviet domination, there's less derision aimed at Poles by most Americans, thus "Polack" is more antiquated nowadays, anyway.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by barman:
Japanese people are indeed a distinct race of people.
Ignorant folks categorize all people born in Eastern or Southeast Asia as 'Oriental'. In fact, there are dozens of races of people from that part of the globe, each distinct and very independent from others in the area. "Cross-breeding" per se in that part of the world was until recent years, just as unusual as inter-racial marriage in the U.S. was until the past half century. Thus each race of Asian people remained fairly 'pure'.
In the end, "JAPS" was absolutely a degrading and racist term directed at the Japanese by most Americans for most of the 20th century.
But like most people who we don't exchange warfare with, there's been a lot more respect from the U.S. towards Japanese during the past few decades, so Parcells is more guilty of showing his age than of insulting anyone of Japanese heritage.
"The Orient" is actually a description of the geographic area moreso than any type of person, though the descriptive form of the word persisted for a couple hundred years.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Lots of people consider "Oriental" to be racist, but I think it makes more sense than "Asian".
Asia includes Russia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.
Yet Asian-American is considered the politically correct term?
Japanese people are indeed a distinct race of people.
Ignorant folks categorize all people born in Eastern or Southeast Asia as 'Oriental'. In fact, there are dozens of races of people from that part of the globe, each distinct and very independent from others in the area. "Cross-breeding" per se in that part of the world was until recent years, just as unusual as inter-racial marriage in the U.S. was until the past half century. Thus each race of Asian people remained fairly 'pure'.
In the end, "JAPS" was absolutely a degrading and racist term directed at the Japanese by most Americans for most of the 20th century.
But like most people who we don't exchange warfare with, there's been a lot more respect from the U.S. towards Japanese during the past few decades, so Parcells is more guilty of showing his age than of insulting anyone of Japanese heritage.
"The Orient" is actually a description of the geographic area moreso than any type of person, though the descriptive form of the word persisted for a couple hundred years.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Lots of people consider "Oriental" to be racist, but I think it makes more sense than "Asian".
Asia includes Russia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.
Yet Asian-American is considered the politically correct term?
FUNK MUNK, I share your bewilderment about the hyphenated variations many Americans have adapted to help them feel comfortable saying, "He's Japanese....or He's Korean....or He's a black guy."
A lot of it likely stems not so much from P.C., but rather from the dismal knowledge of geography most Americans own.
Thus, "Asian-American" can mean "all slant-eyed people" because after all, "aren't all those countries pretty much the same?" to a guy who doesn't know whether a given U.S. state is west or east of the Mississippi.
Never forget a job I had Years Ago where we were doing data entry, building a Preferred Customer database for Hilton Corp.
About 20 of us, handling customer feedback cards from around the U.S. and around the world.
Thus each entry had Name, Address etc and the Address included a code for Country.
Girl a couple seats down, about 20 years old or so, asks out loud, "What's the country code for Hawaii?"
I stifled a laugh and simply replied, USA.
She's like, "Oh really?"
Me: Yeah, you know, like Pearl Harbor?"
Her: Huh?
Me: (In head) THANK YOU MOM AND DAD FOR MAKING SURE I PAID ATTENTION IN SCHOOL.
A lot of it likely stems not so much from P.C., but rather from the dismal knowledge of geography most Americans own.
Thus, "Asian-American" can mean "all slant-eyed people" because after all, "aren't all those countries pretty much the same?" to a guy who doesn't know whether a given U.S. state is west or east of the Mississippi.
Never forget a job I had Years Ago where we were doing data entry, building a Preferred Customer database for Hilton Corp.
About 20 of us, handling customer feedback cards from around the U.S. and around the world.
Thus each entry had Name, Address etc and the Address included a code for Country.
Girl a couple seats down, about 20 years old or so, asks out loud, "What's the country code for Hawaii?"
I stifled a laugh and simply replied, USA.
She's like, "Oh really?"
Me: Yeah, you know, like Pearl Harbor?"
Her: Huh?
Me: (In head) THANK YOU MOM AND DAD FOR MAKING SURE I PAID ATTENTION IN SCHOOL.
IRVING, Texas (AP) Bill Parcells won't be fined by the NFL for calling surprise plays used in practice ''Jap plays,'' a remark for which he later apologized and called inappropriate.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday that no action would be taken by the league against the Dallas Cowboys coach.
Parcells made the remark, an apparent reference to the Japan's 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, while talking to reporters during the Cowboys' minicamp Monday.
Later in the day, Parcells issued a statement apologizing.
''I made a very inappropriate reference, and although I prefaced it with the remark, 'no disrespect to anyone intended,' it was still uncalled for and inconsiderate,'' Parcells said in the statement. ''For that I apologize to anyone who may have been offended.''
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday that no action would be taken by the league against the Dallas Cowboys coach.
Parcells made the remark, an apparent reference to the Japan's 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, while talking to reporters during the Cowboys' minicamp Monday.
Later in the day, Parcells issued a statement apologizing.
''I made a very inappropriate reference, and although I prefaced it with the remark, 'no disrespect to anyone intended,' it was still uncalled for and inconsiderate,'' Parcells said in the statement. ''For that I apologize to anyone who may have been offended.''
